The present invention is related generally to computers and networks and is related more particularly to methods and systems for using computers and networks to manage referrals.
There is a growing need in essentially all sectors of human endeavor including business, industry, government, education and science to find and acquire resources that can satisfy a wide variety of demands. One example is in the area of employment where, for some disciplines, the competition for qualified people is so intense that it is necessary to use search firms and recruiters to find and employ suitably qualified people. Another example is in the area of real estate where agents are frequently used to match selling or leasing opportunities with the particular needs of prospective buyers or lessors. The area of employment is illustrative and is discussed more fully in the following paragraphs.
There is a growing trend to use computers and networks to facilitate finding and acquiring resources. such as employees. For example, computers and networks like the Internet are already used to provide wide access to lists of employment opportunities that are maintained in databases. Various tools, generally known as search engines, are provided to facilitate searching the databases for employment opportunities that match a of criteria. Unfortunately, the extent to which these systems have helped attract qualified people to fill the listed employment opportunities has been disappointing.
Two ways by which companies have sought qualified employees is through recruiting firms and through employee-referral programs. Recruiting firms identify and refer candidates in exchange for an opportunity to receive a recruiting fee. Employee-referral programs solicit referrals by offering referral fees to people that are already employed by the company. These two ways may be adequate to satisfy employment opportunities in situations where there is an abundant supply of qualified people; however, they are proving to be inadequate in situations that require people with education, training, skills or experience that are either difficult to find or are in such great demand that the need exceeds the supply. A more extensive network of people who can refer potential employees is needed.
A similar need for such a referral network exists in other areas such as real estate, xe2x80x9cmatchmakingxe2x80x9d in a social context, and auctions. At present, there is no known mechanism that can develop or manage such a network.
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a method and system that can be used to develop and manage a large referral network by which resources may be referred to entities that have need for such resources.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for managing referrals that includes receiving an opportunity description and related referral-payment information that represents terms for paying a resource-referral fee, and in response, generating an opportunity identifier that uniquely identifies the opportunity and recording in an opportunity database the opportunity description, the related referral-payment information and the opportunity identifier; receiving a search request and, in response, providing information from the opportunity database that is obtained from the opportunity description and the related referral-payment information; accepting a referral that includes a resource description that describes a resource, and in response, generating a referral identifier that uniquely identifies the referral, and recording in a referral database the resource description and the referral identifier; and receiving an indication a trigger event has occurred with respect to the opportunity and the resource, and in response, determining a referral fee according to the related referral-payment information, and generating information indicating that payment of the referral fee is due.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for soliciting referrals that includes receiving an opportunity description and related referral-payment information that represents terms for paying one or more resource-referral fees that vary according to one or more criteria, and in response, generating an opportunity identifier that uniquely identifies the opportunity and recording in an opportunity database the opportunity description, the related referral-payment information and the opportunity identifier; and receiving a search request and, in response, providing information from the opportunity database that is obtained from the opportunity description and the related referral-payment information.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for managing referrals that includes accepting a referral that identifies an opportunity and includes a resource description, and in response, generating a referral identifier that uniquely identifies the referral and recording in a referral database the resource description and the referral identifier; and receiving an indication that a trigger event has occurred with respect to the resource, and in response, determining a referral fee according to a plurality of fees and one or more criteria and generating information indicating that payment of the referral fee is due.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method for managing referrals that includes receiving a referring-party description and related information that includes one or more characteristics of the party; generating a party identifier that uniquely identifies the party; recording in a database the party description, the related information and the party identifier; and providing to the party a representation of the party identifier.
The various features of the present invention and its preferred embodiments may be better understood by referring to the following discussion and the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements in the several figures. The contents of the following discussion and the drawings are set forth as examples only should not be understood to represent limitations upon the scope of the present invention.